MCC to honor Schauer for service

Longtime McHenry County College men's and women's basketball volunteer team manager Chris Schauer will be honored between MCC's men's and women's games today at Tartan Gym in Crystal Lake.

By The Northwest Herald

Chris Schauer has dedicated 20 years of his life to the McHenry County College basketball programs.

The Woodstock native who suffered a stroke as a toddler and underwent four open-heart surgeries has worked as a volunteer manager for the Scots’ men’s and women’s teams, providing players with water, assisting coaches and remaining a regular presence at practice.

Today, MCC will honor his two decades of service with a ceremony between the women’s and men’s basketball games. The ceremony will take place about 2:30 p.m. at MCC’s Tartan Gym in Crystal Lake inside Building A.

“He is dedicated, caring and a positive influence on the staff and student-athletes as well as being a service-oriented community member holding events to benefit various benevolent causes and organizations,” MCC athletic director Wally Reynolds said in a news release. “We are proud of Chris and both pleased and amazed by his longtime dedication to our Scots’ athletics program, teams and athletes.”

Schauer is a 1995 graduate of Woodstock High School, where he managed the basketball team. He currently works with two high school basketball programs and founded Basketball in the Park, an annual charity event to benefit children with terminal illnesses. In 2012, the event attracted 55 participants to play basketball and raised $2,710, compared to six participants and $1,845 collected in 2011.

He also does motivational speeches for special needs students at area junior high and high schools. His message of believing in one’s self is one he continues to live by.

“Even though I had a stroke, people think that I can’t do things,” Schauer said. “I like to prove people wrong.”